Infinite Thunders Court
The Bijali, or "Infinite Thunders", Court is based on Sri Lanka, but its power extends along the eastern coast of India and into Bangladesh. These Kuei-jin are among the least demon-prone in all of the Middle Kingdom. By far the most prevalent Dharmic paths followed in this court emphasize Hun and are the Way of the Resplendent Crane and Flame of the Rising Phoenix(a dharma labelled heretical by the Quincunx). The Infinite Thunder Court suffers not from the political intrigues that plague the other courts, but philosophical differences are most overweening, as the court’s territory is a melting pot of various religions and cultures, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. Organization The Infinite Thunder Courts do not adhere to the standard rank system used by their East Asian brethren. Advancement is based strictly on merit and the mastery of a series of traditional - and exceedingly difficult - tasks. Those who excel are given access to wiser ancestors and more esoteric writings; those who do not excel must make their own way. Dharmic advancement is only a part of status within the Court; mastery of etiquettes, as well as physical fitness and sheer determination is demanded in order to pass the rigorous tests. There are four ranks (called Gates) above the average Kuei-jin who just regained his senses after his state as chih-mei: The first graduate is called Child of Clay, the second is a Scholar of Stone, the third a Warrior of Jade and the final one a Priest of Diamond. Each Gate can only be passed if certain conditions and social graces are fulfilled. The highest ranking Diamond Priests are regarded as Brahmins and act as the spiritual leaders of the Infinite Thunders Court. Additionally, the Bijali Courts do not use the directional system of the Quincunx, instead relying on Vedic astrology to determine the destiny of a newly risen Kuei-jin. Many members of the Bijali Courts come from different backgrounds, religious or otherwise, than the Confucian traditions that shaped the Quincunx and as a result, much of their culture is very different from those of their Chinese brethren, sometimes dating back to the Wan Xian themselves. Relation with other Kuei-Jin The attitudes of the Quincunx towards heresy are unflinchingly dogmatic, as one would expect. The widespread practice of Flame of the Rising Phoenix Dharma is but one of many elements that will prevent the Infinite Thunders Court from attaining any but the most cursory acknowledgement from the primary Chinese courts. Regrettably, the serious Kuei-jin of the Infinite Thunders Court cannot tolerate the akuma of the Golden Courts (or the Penangallan, for that matter), the only court with which it shares a border. Thusly isolated, it is no wonder that these Kuei-jin nurture and cherish their differences from the other courts of the Middle Kingdom. The curse of this court is the sadness that lingers like the Calcutta smog. The Rising Phoenix Dharma centers around the desire for mortality, and most adherents attempt to return to their lives as though their deaths had never happened; they are then forced to watch as their families age and die while they linger night after night, fighting an unending battle against their P'o. Violence and intrigue are not the vices of this court; despair is. The Kuei-jin of the Golden Courts call the Bijali Court the Court of Infinite Tears. The Infinite Thunder Court waged a cold war against the Kindred population of India, particular the Ravnos, that escalated during the events that lead to the Week of Nightmares. Category:Kindred of the East glossary Category:Kindred of the East geography